The Hunger Games Reading Guide
The Hunger Games Reading Guide
| Lesson | Reading Assignment |
|---|---|
| Characters and Setting in Novels | chapters 1–9 |
| Point of View and Conflict in Novels | chapters 10–18 |
| Theme and Resolution in Novels | chapters 19–27 |
You will need to obtain a copy of this book. Please contact your teacher for help with locating a copy.
Novel Synopsis
The Hunger Games is set in a futuristic nation called Panem. Panem’s powerful and ruthless government has divided its poor, struggling citizens into 13 districts. Each year, it chooses one girl and one boy from each district to compete in the “Hunger Games.” But these are no ordinary games. The Hunger Games is a televised event that forces the participants to fight to the death. Only one child can survive and win food and supplies for his or her district. When 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen's younger sister is chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Along with a boy from her district, Peeta, Katniss enters the Games. Will Katniss come out alive? Or will she be one of the victims of the Hunger Games?
Lexile Score: 820L
Word Count: 99,750 words
Author Biography
Suzanne Collins was born in 1962 in Hartford, Connecticut. Because her father was an Air Force pilot, her family moved often. Her father, who was also a history instructor, father taught his family about the importance of history. They visited historical sites, including battlefields and war monuments. The lessons Collins learned about war would later come in handy when writing The Hunger Games series.
Collins graduated from high school in 1980. She then studied theater, telecommunications, and dramatic writing. After finishing her studies, Collins started writing for television programs. James Proimos, the creator of a show called Generation O!, was impressed by her work. He hired her as the head writer for his show. He also encouraged Collins to write books.
Collins published her first book, Gregor the Overlander, in 2003. It's about the adventures of a boy who discovers a new world under New York City. It was partly inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The book was a big success. Collins went on to write four more novels about Gregor as part of her five-book series, The Underland Chronicles.
Her next series, The Hunger Games, was even more successful. The first book, The Hunger Games, came out in 2008. The other two books in the series, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, were released within the next two years. The series was eventually made into a set of successful Hollywood movies.
More than 87 million copies of Collins’s books have sold throughout the world. She continues write in her home state of Connecticut, where she lives with her family.